On Saturday June 11th we celebrated our Democratic candidates with a picnic at Strahl Street Park in Downtown Franklin co-hosted by Change TN and Indivisible TN. We had a blast hanging out with fellow Dems while enjoying delicious food from Menu Maker Catering, face paint & tattoos from Blue Rhinestone Creative, and music from DJ Regggie Mason. Our candidates are so inspiring and it's no wonder Change TN has put Williamson County on their list of flippable counties in TN. Change TN supports candidates across the state and has endorsed several of our Williamson County candidates. We are grateful for the work they do and for their support. We also collected non-perishable food items to donate to the GraceWorks food pantry. 

Bob Britton, WCS District 4 Candidate & Courtenay Rogers, County Commission District 10 Candidate	Deborah Campbell Sparks, County Clerk Candidate & Kisha Davis, TN House District 63 Candidate
LaRhonda Williams (right), County Commission District 1 candidate	Matt Harakas, County Commission District 3 candidate
Jennifer Haile (center), WCS District 10 candidate	Erin Crawford (right), County Commission District 12 candidate
Drew Dison (Change TN Executive Directo), Courtenay Rogers (WCDP Vice-Chair & Candidate), Jenn Foley (WCDP Chair), Nathan Higgon (Indivisible TN), Gabe (Change TN)	Collected donations for GraceWorks food pantry

On Saturday, June 4th thousands of Williamson County residents enjoyed the 2nd annual Franklin Pride celebration and WCDP was proud to be a sponsor of the event. We also had a vendor booth at the event and our amazing volunteers registered voters, helped voters figure out which voting districts they live in and shared information about the candidates on the ballot in 2022. We had a great time and appreciate everyone who stopped by the booth to say Hi and signed up to get involved. We also enjoyed seeing many of the Democratic gubernatorial and congressional candidates at the event. In 2022 the best way to support our LGBTQ+ community is to vote for candidates who will protect their civil rights. 

WCDP Booth with volunteers
TNDP Executive Committee District 23 Committeeman Brandon Schexnayder with TN House District 63 candidates Kisha Davis	Stickers we handed out to remind everyone they have TWO opportunities to vote for candidates who support LGBTQ rights this year.
Crocheted Bee & Octopus amuigurumi made & donated by WCDP EC member Jody Wallace for sale to support WCDP
Volunteer & Outreach Coordinators Mandy & Kristy taking a well-deserved break. Our community events would not happen without their hard work and dedication. Thank you!

If you weren't able to attend our Meet Your Candidates event we held on April 11th you can view the recording on the Williamson County YouTube channel. We had a great turnout with engaged voters asking important questions and were honored to have the Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party, Hendrell Remus, as a special guest speaker. Two of the Democratic gubernatorial candidates, Dr. Jason Martin and J.B. Smiley Jr., attended as well as Congressional candidate who is running for House of Representatives in District 7. Senator Heidi Campbell, who is running for US House of Representatives in District 5, was held up in TN State Senate hearings but sent a statement. We look forward to holding Gubernatorial and Congressional forums later this summer. 

WCDP Chair Dr. Jenn Foley highlighted the county level candidates in her opening address: "I want to especially point out our slate of Democrats running for county office, because this is one of the largest slates of Democrats we’ve ever had in Williamson County, and for some seats, it is the first time a Democratic candidate has been on the ballot, so we are making progress here in Williamson County. As I have gotten to know the candidates over the past few months, I’ve really been struck by the variety of life and professional experiences they all have, and I think they are a true reflection of how diverse Williamson County truly is.” 

The Williamson Herald and The Tennesseean both covered the event. We are grateful to Gina Starling Gunn, former Brentwood City Commission candidates, for moderating the event. Check out the 2022 slate of Democratic candidates here. 

Left to right: TNDP Chair Hendrell Remus, US House District 7 candidate Odessa Kelly, WCDP Vice Chair Courtenay Rogers, WCDP Chair Dr. Jenn Foley, Gubernatorial candidate JB Smiley, Jr., Gubernatorial candidate Dr. Jason Martin

A message from the Chair of the Williamson County Democratic Party, Dr. Jenn Foley

Please vote in the Democratic primary

I know voting as a Democrat in Williamson County often feels like an exercise in futility because we usually don’t have Democrats on the ballot for county-level seats. The 2022 election is different though because, for the first time ever, we have a contested primary between two Democrats who are running for County Clerk! In fact, this year is the first time we’ve had a Democrat running for County Clerk at all! This means that even though you might not have a Democrat on the ballot in your county commission or school board district, you will still be able to make a choice between two fine Democratic candidates who care about their community when you select the Democratic ballot. 

We have heard that some Democrats plan to vote in the Republican primary for strategic reasons. While we believe that every vote matters and everyone should vote their conscience, we hope that every Democrat will come out to support the brave candidates that care about our community by voting in the Democratic primary. Here are a few other points we hope you’ll consider: 

• We must support the brave Democrats who stand up to run for office in our county. That should be enough to convince you. Stepping up to run for office and declaring Democratic values is daunting in Williamson County. If you're not brave enough to do it, the least you can do is respect and support the people who are willing to do so by casting a ballot for them in the primary election.
• The WCDP, with the guidance of the TNDP, has clearly defined vetting processes for our candidates to make sure they align with our party values and platform. We hope you will vote for candidates that align with your values.
• Politics is a game of percentages and data. In 2020 Williamson County had one of the biggest shifts toward Democrats in the state. Check out these maps. We need to keep this momentum going! 

• Voter turnout in the primary election is our most reliable measure of how many Democrats there are in the county. We use these turnout numbers to recruit candidates, target voters, and grow the party. The DNC and TNDP also use these numbers to determine how much investment (in funding and organizing efforts) should be geared toward each county. We need Democrats to show up in order to make the state & national parties sit up and take notice of Williamson County. 
• Voting in a Republican primary could hurt your chances of being a qualified Democratic candidate in the future. We want to make sure our Democratic candidates support the party and stand up for our values. 
• The Republican party is undergoing an identity crisis and they don’t need Democrats to chime in. The GOP needs to decide if they want to be the party of bigotry and censorship, as exhibited by the extreme groups like Moms For Liberty, or return to their Reaganomics limited-government philosophy that has benefited the 1% and left the rest of the country behind. Democrats do not support either of these viewpoints and we shouldn’t be voting for any Republican candidate. 
• Voting for the least extreme Republican candidate in the Republican primary could backfire because who is to say that swing voter would not vote for the Democrat or Independent candidate over an extreme right-wing Republican? Most people do not pay close attention to local politics. The casual or new voter who doesn’t usually vote in a primary election might decide to vote in the general election and be completely turned off by an extreme Republican candidate who calls for banning books in our school and county libraries. The Democrat on the ballot would likely earn support from swing voters in this scenario, but that same candidate might fare differently against a moderate Republican. 
• Finally, if you are a proud Democrat, you should always vote for the Democrat. After all, the Republicans did not gain a supermajority in Tennessee by voting for Democrats.

I hope you will support our Democratic candidates in 2022 with your vote and through donations of your time and money. If we work together we can flip seats in Williamson County. 

FIRST ROUND OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATES PULL PETITIONS FOR LOCAL OFFICES

Four more Democrats pulled petitions today to run for county offices this election year, bringing the total to seven in less than a week. Of the new candidates, first-timers Jennifer Haile and Erin Crawford joined Courtenay Rogers and Kenneth Townsend, who previously sought public office in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

“The Williamson County Democratic Party represents more than 50,000 Democrats throughout Williamson County who deserve to be heard,” said WCDP Chair Jenn Foley. “It’s time to accelerate our progress locally and across the state of Tennessee in terms of both candidate recruitment and support.”

Haile, running for county school board in District 10, says her main reason for seeking office centers on the importance for diverse groups to have representation in the community.

“As a Williamson County parent,” said Haile, “I will ensure that all voices are heard and supported in our schools.” 

Crawford, mom to a Page High School senior and Page Middle School 8th grader, is seeking to become county commissioner in District 12. 

"Too many times I've shown up to vote in local elections without a candidate that reflects my heart and progressive values,” she said. “I want to be that candidate for my like-minded neighbors and strengthen our shared ideals within the County Commission."

Rogers, who ran an inspiring campaign in 2016 for state representative in District 63, is running for District 10 county commissioner. Joining her on the District 10 county commissioner ballot is Townsend, a former candidate for District 8 county commission in 2018. Rogers and Townsend are aligned with Williams and Crawford in their desire to advocate for all voices in the community, especially the underrepresented and vulnerable.  

Democratic candidates who pulled their petitions last week include LaRhonda Williams (District 1 county commissioner), Johanna Carter (District 11 county commissioner) and Andrew Becker (county clerk).

Although she is a first-time candidate, Williams is not new to public service. From working as a Judicial Commissioner for Williamson County to serving as a member of the Parks and Recreational Board, Williams cites wanting to continue serving as a voice for Fairview residents as her primary reason for seeking office. 

“I appreciate the work our current county commissioner has done,” she said, “but it’s time for a fresh set of eyes and a new voice.” 

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Check out local press coverage of our candidates from The Williamson Homepage (2/1/22) and The Williamson Herald (2/2/22). 

Our WCDP elves were hard at work today loading up the sleigh and delivering all the donated items and gift cards from our Holiday Food & Clothing Drive to the families we supported this season. Thanks to EVERYONE who graciously donated food items, clothing and money in support of these families in our community. We couldn't have done it without you!

December 10, 2021

In response to the action taken by local Republicans, the Williamson County Democratic Party (WCDP) on Friday sent a letter to the Williamson County Election Commission formally requesting primaries for the 2022 school board election.

Across the country, and specifically here in Williamson County, school board meetings have turned into chaotic clashes over curriculum, face masks and other politically-charged flashpoints. These issues, while important, have interjected conflict points that can keep a school board from doing its job, which is to understand and serve the needs of our students, teachers and school districts without influence of a biased political agenda.

While the WCDP firmly believes partisanship has no place in school board elections, we can’t sit idly by while Republicans choose political power and polarization over the quality of education and safety of our children. Our intention is not to inject divisive politics into our schools, but rather ensure neutrality and proportional representation in the election process.

Democrats here in Williamson County and in the state legislature have a record of supporting our schools and teachers by advocating for additional funding and resources, and thus we will not shy away from these elections. We believe school boards should focus on what is good for school districts and not serve as a venue for advancing political ideology that further divides our communities, and we stand ready to support candidates who are motivated by public service over political gain and care about investing in the future of our communities by making our public school system the best it can be.

Dr. Jenn Foley, WCDP Chair, was interviewed for a News Channel 5 segment and The Tennesseean about this issue.

For the 2021 holiday season, as the first Tennessee Democrats Care project, the Williamson County Democratic Party is collecting non-perishable food items for food baskets to be delivered to individuals and families in need. Please sign up to contribute non-perishable food items or make a monetary donation to WCDP so that we can purchase remaining items.  

This holiday food and clothing drive is part of Tennessee Democrats Care, a new initiative led by the Tennessee Democratic Party and focused on giving back to communities across the state. “At the Tennessee Democratic Party, we believe in putting actions behind our values. We believe in supporting and uplifting all, especially the underserved. We know that our responsibility goes beyond electing great Democratic candidates, and I’m excited to kick off Tennessee Democrats Care to combat hunger this holiday season.” - Brit Bender, TNDP Executive Director.

The deadline for donations is December 12th, and the baskets will be delivered by December 21st. Please contact [email protected] if you have questions or would like to nominate a family in need.